Alcohol-control law may curb partner abuse

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-12/joso-alm120514.php

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 10-Dec-2014

Contact: Courtney Lenard
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
Alcohol-control law may curb partner abuse

PISCATAWAY, NJ - Communities with fewer places to buy or drink alcohol also tend to have lower rates of intimate partner violence, new evidence suggests.

The research, published in the January issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, suggests that laws limiting what is called "alcohol outlet density" could offer one way to address violence within intimate relationships.

States and communities throughout the United States have enacted various laws to reduce excessive use of alcohol, including limiting outlet density, limiting hours and days of sale, and managing the pricing and taxation of alcoholic beverages. At the same time, studies have shown that alcohol is often a risk factor in incidents of partner violence. Thus, policies aimed at reducing excessive alcohol use may also have a beneficial effect on partner violence.

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